4 – Wingspan

Similar to Carcassone, I challenge you to go anywhere and find a store that doesn’t sell Wingspan. This is an award-winning digital adaptation of the engine-building card game where players build wildlife preserves, attracting birds with unique powers to build combos. With relaxing yet strategic gameplay, solo and multiplayer modes, immersive visuals, and expansions like Asia and Europe, it’s a visually stunning and highly replayable experience for nature lovers and strategy fans alike.

3 – Gloomhaven

Some people call Gloomhaven the best strategy game they have ever played. One thing is certain: the game is one of the most well-known tactical strategy board games IRL, and it certainly has its fair share of fans on Steam as well. Players will embark on a sprawling dark fantasy campaign with turn-based combat and RPG mechanics, leading mercenaries through quests, managing loot and character progression, all with top-tier visuals, and solo and co-op play. Just a heads up that the most recent reviews mention some problems with desync on co-op.

2 – Dorfromantik

I love Dorfromantik, even if I’m terrible at it, but it’s just so satisfying and so simple to just pick up and play and see how far you can go, and then start again with new unlockables. It manages to deliver a peaceful yet deeply satisfying tile-placement puzzle experience that just soothes my brain in the best kind of way. Players will place hex tiles to create landscapes while completing quests and unlocking new biomes, balancing casual, zen-like play with strategic planning. I love the visuals, the fact that one can just jump into it and start figuring it out, and the endless replayability. If it wasn’t for the amazing title that sits at the number one spot, Dorfromantik would certainly be my top recommendation for the 10 board games to buy on the Steam Board Games Fest 2026.

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